


Come Hell or Stray Mortar Shell

by lilnaugrim



Series: Major and His Corporal [Series] [4]
Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Coma, Healing, Korean War, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-02-28
Packaged: 2018-03-15 13:57:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3449678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnaugrim/pseuds/lilnaugrim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max and Charles sent on a mission, only to come back inured.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come Hell or Stray Mortar Shell

Charles groaned when he woke up, it startled him at first being some place new and one he did not recognize at first. He couldn't help the sudden urge of panic that overrode him and he tried to sit up in his bed and scream but a nurse quickly rushed to him to settle him down and calm him.

"W—where am I? Where is Max? Where is he? Oh God, please tell me he's alive!" Charles sobbed to her as she checked him out to make sure his wounds were still okay after his strain waking up.

"Corporal Klinger is just fine Major, please stop trashing!" she told him gently and motioned to his left, he stopped all his moving and looked to where she'd motioned. Max laid in the bed conjoining his, a white bandage around his head and on his arm, there was some gauze taped to him. "Do you remember what happened?" she asked, sitting at the edge of his bed, listening to his heart beat through her stethoscope.

"Yes…yes I do," he felt calmer now that he knew Max was alive and so was he, "we were on route to…to Seoul and," he had to stop to wet his mouth at the thought and the instant replay in his mind.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

"Turn around Max! We're going the wrong way!" Charles yelled over the sound of the mortar shells dropping around them and the machine gun fire.

"I'm sorry Charles but this is the only road in now and I don't think we can turn back—there's no road behind us!" Max yelled back, swerving to avoid the small bombs being thrown at them. Charles looked back to confirm that there really was no road behind them, just some land littered with craters. Charles thought about praying to a god, any god, but he wasn't sure which one to pick, so he looked back towards the front of the jeep, praying to anyone that they'd make it through the evening to get to their destination.

"Hold onto your britches Major!" Max yelled out right before he heard it. A loud whistle and a mortar hit the front of their jeep, sending the jeep flying and twisting in the air as they fell out.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

"We were shelled, if I…recall correctly," he spoke softly to her and she nodded.

"You two were on route to Seoul?" she asked.

"Yes, we'd been sent by Colonel Potter on a,” he started, not wishing to let on that they'd been sent foolishly into a war-zone to obtain a few necessities for the camp, such as booze, “small side mission," he said.

"Well…you just sleep tight for the rest of the night. If there is anything else you need from me, just let me know and I'll hop on over," she smiled at him, satisfied that he was fine, just a little worked up.

"Wait, tell me,” he stopped her from standing and looked to Max, “is Corporal Klinger alright?” She flicked her eyes over to the dark haired Lebanese and tried to give a comforting smile.

"He's comatose at the moment," she replied, Charles would have replied but he felt like there was a lump growing in his throat, rendering him useless for talking. "Just get some sleep Major, we'll talk more in the morning, alright?" she patted his arm and left to her desk. Charles tried not to sob out loud, instead he inched himself onto his left side so he could look at Max and cry silently as he looked at his sleeping Lebanese. He inched his right hand to Klinger's cold one to take it in his own, he closed his eyes as the tears fell down his face. He looked around to make sure everyone was asleep before gently lifting the hand up to his face to kiss it and put it back down. He tried to follow the nurse's order and fall asleep in the waning night, though he found it difficult, he did eventually fall asleep once more.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Charles was sure he was screaming as he was thrown from the jeep, everything was blurring and spinning and turning and falling all at once until, finally, he hit the ground. He knew that time he screamed in pain as he felt his left arm snap practically in half, there was something at his leg causing a stinging and burning sensation but he had to find Max. Charles was sure he saw the life-less heap only a few feet from him and did his best to crawl over to his fallen lover.  
"Max!" he yelled at him, tears streaming down his face like a waterfall, he was able to get to Max and flip him over. Charles put his ear to the chest and should have felt relieved when he felt the breathing and heard the heart beating but he couldn't have been more frightened for his and Max's life. He threw himself over Max when another shell hit close to them, throwing shrapnel and dirt everywhere. Charles could feel himself starting to slip unconscious with the wounds he'd suffered but he needed to make sure that Max was alright too. He slid back off when the dust settled and started to check on Max's vitals, checking his eyes, pulse again, respirations, and the wound on his forehead.  
"Dammit," Charles mumbled, even with his superior breeding he was starting to fade and he knew there was nothing he could do about it, he settled down next to Max, arm over his lover protectively as he slipped unconscious.

\----------------------------------------------------------

The next time Charles woke up, it seemed like it was almost high noon, he wouldn't have been surprised if it were and he was perfectly okay with that. He took in a deep breath, wishing he were home at the 4077th with Max, curled up in the Swamp or somewhere else they could hide. When the deep breath came out, he opened his eyes fuller to see what was going on, he looked to Max first. Max was still breathing thankfully but he was still asleep too which saddened him. He looked around before a Doctor came to look at his chart at the end of his bed.

"Good afternoon Major Winchester! It's nice to see you again, though, I would have settled for a simple visit," the doctor greeted him; Charles tried to muster any sign of a smile at the joke but found none in the attempt. "Well you've got a fractured left ulna and we found your leg littered with shrapnel from the mortar that threw your jeep. You'll walk and perform surgery just fine in a month or two but you'll have some nerve damage from the accident," Doctor Lars Erikson informed him with a grand old smile on his face.

"That is…good news," Charles managed before he glanced to his Corporal when he thought he saw movement but it only turned out to be a nurse.

"Your Corporal friend, Klinger, should be fine too…once he wakes up from comatose…" Erikson looked to the other patient.

"What are his injuries?" Charles asked.

"Wound and shrapnel to the head, shrapnel to his hip but nothing serious, he was already knocked unconscious when you two flew from the jeep so he didn't have too much strain on his body as if he tried to brace himself, he would have caused further damage," Lars spoke quietly, recognizing the hurt in Charles's eyes.

"Yes…well thank you Doctor," he nodded, Lars gave a smile and stood back up to go talk with a nurse. Charles looked back over to Klinger, he knew there was no way of knowing when Max would wake from his coma but he hope that it surely would be soon.

It was almost a week before Charles and Max were to be sent back over to the 4077th, both were stable but Max still wasn't quite awake yet, he'd come in and out of consciousness a few times but it was for mere seconds; it still gave Charles hope. It was a Sunday, the day that they were supposed to go back to their own camp when Max actually woke up, it was still very early in the morning and Charles was already awake, reading a book that he'd been lent. Charles jumped when he first heard Max's voice.

"Hey…where are we?" Max asked in a quieted and weak voice, Charles immediately moved closer to start checking his pulse and breathing just to make sure he was alright.

"Max!" he could barely contain himself yet he still had very little words to say, "we're at the 8063rd," he replied and cupped Max's cheek in the darkened post-op, grinning down at his lover.

"You look great," Max grinned back, eyes still sleepy, Charles had to scoff at him and roll his eyes but he took the compliment anyway. He looked around to see the nurse working diligently at her desk and all the rest of the men asleep before he bent down to give a quick and quiet kiss to his love.

"You've been comatose for a week," Charles said when he pulled himself back away from Max.

"A coma?" Max asked, he was still very foggy, he felt like his brain was swollen like a big bruise.

"Yes, do you recall what happened before you woke?" Charles asked, trying to help waken his brain. Max had to really think about it, Charles could see the gears start to turn slowly; dusting off rust as it were.

"I…" he started, thinking about it more, "Colonel Potter sent us somewhere…we had to…to get something for him…we were in the jeep and…" he started to talk slowly, searching through his memories to find what it was. "Booze! That's what it was!" he looked up at Charles excitedly who was still smiling, "Seoul I think…right?" he asked and Charles nodded. "There were…mortar shells I think…or bombs, were there snipers?" he asked and Charles thought about it before shaking his head, "Oh, I guess it just seemed like there were…" Max said, thinking more on the subject, "The mortar hit us didn't it?" he asked.

"Yes, it flipped our jeep and we came in with the wounded here at the wonderful…8063rd," Charles said with a touch of resentment in his voice. Over the week that he'd been awake he'd created a certain distain for a few of the doctors here, he'd recognized them from the months he'd worked at the 4077th but that made no difference to what he felt for them now. "We're being relocated back to the 4077th now that things have…calmed down at our little bungalow in the jungle. It was an intense week for casualties; I can only imagine the anguish Pierce went through when he realized his best surgeon was here…" Charles looked back down to Max who was cuddled on his side facing his Major, sleeping this time. Charles smiled down at him and snuck another small kiss to the warm temple of his lover before settling back down in his own bed to read some more before they had to be shipped out.

"Did I hear another voice come from this direction?" The nurse asked him, he looked up at her with a questioned look.

"You did," he answered plainly, having enough of her foolish questions for the week.

"Did Corporal Klinger wake up?" she asked and he sighed.

"Yes, he woke up, vitals are normal, he spoke with me but he's still quite weak and so thus has fallen asleep once more," he said impatiently.

"Why didn't you alert us? You know that's what you're supposed to do!" she didn't seem to sense his anguish with her.

"Nurse Lang, I am a Doctor, I know the procedures very well thank you, he was not awake enough to constitute waking the other doctors now please run along," he huffed at her, she straightened up and walked back to her desk to do the rest of her paper work and read her letters. Charles snarled at her back quietly before settling back in to read the book. Charles couldn't help to think about Max though, would he retain all normal brain function once he came out of the coma completely? Would Max be the same person? Would he still love Charles? Charles shut the book and settled back down into the bed to try to sleep, all he could think about was if Max would still love him, it panged his Boston frozen heart to think about it. He fell asleep with tear stains on his cheeks.

It was sooner than he thought but finally they were back at their beloved 4077th, Charles was being transferred to a new bed when practically everyone in the camp came barging in to welcome them back home, Max was still sleeping so Charles got most of the attention though he was just as tired from the long bumpy trip back.

"Please everyone! Give the Major some space to breathe!" Father Mulcahy said over the bustle of the crowd in post-op.

"You little devil you! I can't believe you survived a shelling like that!" Hawkeye was the first to give him a hug even though Charles clearly didn't want it.

"Gee…whatever would you do without me here?" he replied snidely.

"Now, now Charles, behave yourself like a good little patient," BJ extended his hand for Charles to shake, he did so just to be polite.

"How's our Company Clerk been doing? He's still sleeping it off, figures," Colonel Potter came over to see them with a smile.

"Did they not tell you?" Charles asked, the crowd suddenly became silent with his words and they all looked to him. "Max is…he's comatose," he said quietly, he could feel the tension in the ward and wish he'd told them he was just asleep but he couldn't lie to them.

"How long?" Potter asked.

"Since the shelling," Charles replied, looking over to his lover, "he wakes occasionally, confused," he continued to talk as they turned to look at Klinger. "It will still be about a week…hopefully, until he regains full consciousness. Then…we can see how much…damage there is," he finished. He looked towards Hawkeye who looked miserable at the news and tried to give him a consoling look; Charles was appreciative of the attempt. 

"How are you holding up?" BJ asked him and Charles nodded.

"I will be just fine," he responded softer than he normally would, he was trying not to show his disappointment that their company clerk was possibly not going to be the same person he was before. Everyone knew he harbored a small affection for the company clerk, especially when there was something in it for Charles, but most didn't see beyond that and he intended to keep it that way.

"Alright everyone, give them some room, you can talk with them later when they've both settled in," Colonel Potter shooed them all away, Hawkeye and BJ stayed with Charles.

"They told us that you two had been in an accident but they didn't give us any more information and with the influx of wounded, there was no time to visit," Hawkeye tried to smile at Charles, sitting at the edge of Charles's bed at his feet while BJ sat on Klinger's.

"Thank you but I survived just fine," Charles replied.

"So what happened?" BJ asked.

"We…we ended down the wrong route due to…to my miscalculation and…we ran into some shelling," he had trouble admitting it but there was no point in denying that it wasn't his fault at this point. "I could hear the mortar before it hit, it was getting closer and closer and closer until finally, it hit the front of the Jeep. I remember being thrown from the jeep and the excruciating pain, shrapnel to the leg, a fractured ulna. I was still conscious when I hit ground but Max was knocked out when his head hit the back of the seat of the jeep and then was thrown. Thankfully, he suffered minimal damage otherwise," Charles looked over to him and rubbed at his aching leg, the wound was healing very quickly as it should but he knew the scar would always be there. 

"I'm sorry Charles," Hawkeye sighed, he wanted to pat the leg next to him but he knew Charles wouldn't appreciate it. "I hope he comes around alright," he turned his gaze to Klinger. As if on cue, Max started to stir which caught Charles's attention as soon as he groaned. Max tossed his head towards the men as he took in a deep breath and opened his eyes to look at the three smiling faces.

"Well, well! Lookie here!" BJ grinned at him.

"BJ," Max grinned back to him but he slipped back into unconsciousness.

"Well he remembers us, that's a good start I'd say!" BJ looked to the other two, Hawk nodded in agreement. 

"Well…I think I shall rest a bit, it's been a long ride, gentlemen," Charles told them.

"Alright Charles, but if you need anything, just scream," Hawkeye did pat his leg gently this time, Charles nodded.

"You shall be the first to hear the triumphant yell if it should be so," he affirmed to them. BJ chuckled and followed Hawkeye out the door. Charles watched them leave before he slumped down in his bed to take another nap, he wished the dull ache in his arm would leave him. As he slipped into his unconscious state, the aching did leave him as dreams filled with Max littered his mind. Charles knew he was grumbling in his sleep but he couldn't help the nightmarish feel to them, replaying that fateful moment over and over again.

It was just about a week when Max finally woke up, he'd woken a few more times through the week but he knew he was finally coming out of his coma when he woke up and felt refreshed and he could feel the ache in his head. He took in a deep breath of night air, he smiled when he could feel it fill up his lungs completely.

"You seem elated," he heard Charles's soothing voice near him, Max looked to his right and grinned. Charles was sitting up in his bed in his own robe but still in cast and bandages, he was writing something on a pad but glanced over to give his Max a small smile.

"I am, I finally feel awake," Max replied, stretching out his sore limbs.

"How do you feel, besides awake?" Charles asked, still working on his letter.

"I don't know, how am I supposed to feel? I'm sore and still a little dizzy I think but I feel happy now that I know I'm awake," Max tried to sit himself up but he found his muscles seemed to be weak, "and apparently I can't move," Max groaned as he let himself slump in the bed, Charles gave a light chuckle.

"Yes, that is normal, your muscles haven't been used in over two weeks, they need time to build up once more," he glanced over again.

"I know something that will help build them—"

"Maxwell!" Charles snarled at him quietly to get him to quiet.

"Major! I was just going to say some light exercise!" Max grinned knowing that wasn't what he had intended to say but Charles was still worried about being found out and any mention of sex would make him blush to the high heavens.

"Ha! Sure you were," his snide remark came, he went back to focusing on his letter. He had a hard time focusing when Max was awake, it'd been well over three weeks since they'd coupled and he was very much rearing to go, all he wanted to do was climb into Max's bed but there were still some wounded left in the ward along with BJ who was on duty this night. "Hunnicutt," Charles mustered his voice, BJ looked up from the desk and stood up when he was beckoned to see what was wrong.

"Yeah, Charles?" he asked.

"Klinger has woken," Charles motioned to his partner.

"Hey!" BJ grinned at him and went to check on him, "how do you feel Klinger?" he asked taking out his stethoscope to run through vitals.

"I'm okay, I feel a little weak but I feel like I've been born anew again!" he exclaimed, BJ chuckled and glanced to Charles.

"Again?" BJ asked and Max just chuckled along with him. 

"Nah, I just feel really good, like when you finally get that long sleep you've been waiting for and you wake up feeling like you can do anything, although apparently I can't do everything, I can barely lift my arms," he grumbled.

"Yeah, well don't you worry Klinger, you'll be back on your feet and running around in no time," BJ was satisfied with his vital signs. "How about you Charles, any soreness from the workout today?" BJ turned his attention to his colleague.

"Thank you, no, I am just fine," he didn't even look up from his letter as he continued to scribble on the paper.

"Okay then," BJ gave a look down to Klinger letting Max know that Charles had been off color lately, Max knew how Charles got when he was brewing and upset about something. Max sighed quietly as BJ patted his arm and got up to leave. Max tried to move onto his side so he could look better at his Major but he was failing miserably so he just gave up.

"Do you…need something?" Charles asked.

"No, no, but I think you shouldn't worry so much. It's touching really that you care so much but you really shouldn't be so rude and mean to the other folks here, they have feelings too ya'know," Max said, Charles huffed at him.

"Max," he started by putting the pad down, "you know I care immensely for you but that is not the motive…for my so called callused acts," Charles looked down at him, there was nothing quite like Charles's facial expressions. Max tried again to get onto his side, this time it worked but he wasn't so comfortable.

"Then what's bothering you Chuck? You know you can talk to me," he offered, at the nickname Charles tensed but tried to keep his cool all the same, it wasn't Max's fault they ran into the shelling after all.

"I'd rather not burden you," he went back to writing, grimacing at the twinge of pain when he picked up the pad with his left hand. Max recognized the pain and knew what Charles was upset about, he wished sorely that he could just move to crawl into Charles's hold and tell him that it wasn't his fault.

"Charles, if I could get up right now I'd first slap you and then I'd crawl into those warm and inviting arms of yours and I'd kiss you and tell you that it wasn't your fault and that you'll get through this without a scar. You'll be performing surgery before you know it and you'll be the best doctor through all of Korea!" Max smiled at him, his tones were hushed so that the other soldiers didn't hear but Charles was listening intently. Charles had let the pad slip and fall off the bed when he realized how much he wanted Max to be on him, making love to him. Max recognized the heat in Charles's face and made an attempt to throw himself at Charles but his muscles just didn't want to work and so instead he groaned at him. "Charles, please stop looking at me like you want to eat me," he begged, he was sure that he was sweating at this point as well, Charles licked his lips and removed his gaze but he bit his lip and moaned quietly just to spike Max. "Damn you Charles!" Max yelled at him.

"Hey, settle down children!" BJ hissed at them as he got up, "what's wrong with you two?" he asked.

"He's teasing me BJ!" Max pouted, flopping back to his back.

"I have done nothing of the sort," Charles defended but he tried to give BJ a look depicting his longing.

"Alright Charles, I think it's time you get some sleep anyway—why are you looking at me like that?" BJ raised an eyebrow, he leaned against the bed post of Max's bed.

"Well…let's put it this way, I have spent well over a week without even holding the hand of someone I love and even more time for more…intimate affairs..." Charles explained to him quietly, BJ just looked at him and then to Max.

"Oh, oh! Oh, I see. Well gee, let me get you two to your own room!" BJ said sarcastically, "Gee, just a mere two weeks without touching your partner, gee I'm very sorry Charles," he continued, Charles knew where this was going, "it must be so hard on you two, not being able to be with each other a whole two damn weeks! You have absolutely no consideration for others, do you?! How do you think I feel? It's been almost a year since I've seen Peg and you talk about two weeks! You are both insensitive bastards!" BJ was red in the face by the time he finished; he was glad that the other soldiers were passed out with morphine drips or other pain meds. He turned away dramatically to go back to his desk. Charles watched him sit down to read something, no doubt a letter from Peg. Charles sighed and looked over to Max.

"Max? Are you alright?" he asked, the stray tear rolling down the Lebanese cheek didn't go unnoticed.

"Fine," he mumbled as he tried to turn away from Charles only to be frustrated when he couldn't quite get to his side until he threw himself to his left side to cuddle into his pillow. Charles worried that the crash had affected him adversely but he also was feeling sore from BJ's words, he knew that they were spoken from anguish. Charles threw back his blanket and moved his legs to the edge of the bed, sitting as he readied himself to move to Max's bed, he had to know if it was the coma or BJ's words. He caught his breath and prepared himself for the pain, he let the breath go and quickly pushed with his good limbs and pushed himself onto Max's bed.

"Major!" Max exclaimed quietly, Charles helped him onto his back as Charles gently thumbed the tears away.

"I have to know, why are you crying?" Charles asked.

"Don't you feel anything at all?" he asked and Charles gave a small smile.

"Of course, I need to know if your coma has…changed you in any way. Sometimes…sometimes when a person goes comatose, when they come about once more…sometimes they are not the same as they were before..." he explained, Max understood, "I have to know Max," he bent down to kiss Max's forehead and caressed his cheek. Max smiled back up at him with a devious look in his eye.

"Kiss me and you'll know," he whispered, Charles couldn't resist, even with the risk of a soldier waking. Charles bent down to press his lips to Max's, Max was able to find enough strength with the adrenaline of the kiss to throw his arms around Charles and embraced Charles's warm lips. Charles was getting into it when BJ noticed to steamy kiss and it boiled his blood.

"That's it!" BJ stood up in a huff, Charles pulled away and stood up abruptly, he could feel the stitches tear from his leg as he cried out at the pain, at the same time BJ came up to punch out Charles, the Major fell onto his bed with the lack of stability as Hawkeye came in.

"Hey! What's going on here?!" Hawkeye ran to restrain his best friend.

"He hit him! He hit him!" Max cried out, tried to get to Charles to see if he was alright. Charles was moving, crawling back to his bed in pain.

"Alright, alright, I'll take care of Beej, you rest Charles and I'll be right back okay?" Hawkeye patted BJ's back, BJ had turned into Hawkeye's hold to cry on his shoulder. Max nodded and watched Hawkeye lead him out.

"Charles, Charles, are you alright?" Max asked, Charles put his hand up as he righted himself against the wall and sighed.

"I'm fine," he answered, throwing his robe aside to take a look at his stitches, they were indeed torn apart; tearing the skin with it. He hissed at the welling blood, it was already dripping down the sides of his leg too.

"I don't believe that," Max tried his best to see what was going on.

"Just some tears Max, nothing to worry about."

"Other than a bruised pride," Max huffed and tried to settle in even though he didn't feel comfortable at all. Charles huffed back and was incredibly thankful when Kellye came through the door.

"Oh! Kellye, I am in great need of some assistance here, would you be so kind?" he called her over.

"Of course Major," she came over but quickly gasped at the large pool of blood welling on his leg and sheets. "Oh!" she exclaimed and quickly grabbed some gauze to soak up the blood.

"Yes, seems I've torn them in a…tumble…" he explained to her, he grabbed some of the gauze and helped soak up the blood as she dabbed at the wound, he grabbed the bed in pain.

"I'm sorry Major, would you like some more morphine?" she asked as Hawkeye came back in.

"Well, how's my little major doing?" Hawkeye asked, once he saw the blood he quickly got to work. "Did this come from BJ?" he asked, Charles stopped helping and just held onto the bed to stop the pain as he nodded but then shook his head.

"I think he tore it when he stood up too quickly when BJ startled him," Max explained for him and Charles nodded, the pain overcoming him as he slouched against the wall.4

"Alright, Kellye, let's get him prepped for OR."

"No, no! Here, now! Locals!" Charles managed to get out, Hawkeye looked up at him in wonder.

"Locals? You want me to stick you with locals and sew you up right here? Charles, this might be infected, I want to get you sterilized pronto!" Hawkeye shook his head but Charles shook his own back.

"Just do it!" he growled, Hawkeye sighed and looked over to Kellye.

"Alright, go get me some scissors, sutures, alcohol, gauze, and some wrap," he told her, standing while he kept pressure on Charles's open wound. "Charles, you keep a hold of this and I'll go scrub, alright?" he told him, Charles nodded and replaced Hawkeye's hand with his. Hawkeye grabbed the morphine and a syringe to first give Charles a quick dose, as soon as the needle was inserted Charles felt the meds working and became intensely grateful for them. "Alright, I'll be right back, don't you move!" Hawkeye said and dashed away to get scrubbed while Kellye went to get the supplies.

"You are a brave man Winchester," Max sighed, turning once more to get on his side to watch the small surgery. Charles glanced over to him and grunted, there was a small bruise forming on the plump cheek of the surgeon. It was still a few minutes until Kellye and Hawkeye came back to start the resewing. It was a quick procedure, Charles was almost asleep with the recent morphine injection and the local anesthesia. Hawkeye continued his jokes and wise-cracks but only Max was smiling at them and occasionally chuckling as he watched. Hawkeye eventually got Charles out of his robe which was now bloodstained and soaked in some alcohol, Charles soon passed out after Hawkeye had finished with the sutures and had moved Charles so he was laying back down.

"He'll be fine," Hawkeye smiled down at Max when he was finished with everything, the other wounded were starting to wake up with the morning coming along.

"Thanks Captain, hey, what was wrong with BJ? I've never seen him like that before," he asked but knew it had to be complicated when Hawkeye sighed and sat down on Max's bed with him.

"He got a letter from Peg, he's been on edge lately and honestly, extremely jealous of anyone who even thinks about kissing, holding hands, hugging, or sex, anything with another person. He hasn't told me what's in the letter yet but I'm sure he'll get around to it soon," Hawkeye looked severely bummed out because BJ wasn't in a sharing mood, Hawkeye glanced over to Charles who twitched and grumbled in his sleep but didn't wake.

"Must be something really horrible in that letter for him to be so mean," Max continued, Hawkeye shrugged.

"You know how he is, he freaked out about gutter's last time, remember?" Hawk chuckled at the thought.

"Oh right, yeah…gutters. Something about the neighbor being too old and the plumber being too good looking, right?" he grinned.

"Yeah, he's such a good husband. Sometimes it kills me to think about him still as a faithful husband, I've never had a better friend and certainly never met anyone quite like him," he said quietly. Max looked over to Charles with a sigh.

"I know what you mean Captain." Hawkeye patted Max's leg and went to get up but Max stopped him, "I don't know if it's too early yet or not but can we start getting my muscles back to normal? I feel very unprotected not being able to move, especially with BJ on the loose," he explained as Hawkeye chuckled.

"Sure, we'll just stretch you out. You still have your muscles but they're just a little sleepy from not being used in a week," Hawkeye explained as he pulled down the blanket to Max's torso so his arms were at least exposed. He took Max's hand in his and inspected the mobility. "Here, clench and unclench," he directed as he showed with his own hand, Max followed the direction and clenched his hand hard as he could and unclenched it and did it a few times. He felt like the circulation was returning to his hand even though it never really left.

"Hey, that's not bad! It feels alive again!" he exclaimed happily as Hawkeye nodded.

"Alright, now try rotating your wrist around," Hawkeye directed further and again showed an example of what he wanted and Max imitated him, grinning more as he felt the muscles start to come alive again and got the blood moving. "Good, good!" Hawkeye said and reached for his other hand, "try the same on this side," he said after he inspected the hand to make sure it wasn't injured. So they spent the better half of an hour getting Max's arms and torso to work properly again, Hawkeye had to massage out the upper arms since they'd been so tense from the crash that they just didn't want to move. Max was happy when he could at least sit up on his own again and eat his own breakfast which he hungrily scarfed down without even giving it a second thought, it was the first 'real' food he'd eaten in just about a week, he wasn't going to stop to smell it so it reminded him just how disgusting the food really was. 

Charles woke again during the night, he felt terribly sore which meant the meds were wearing off and he could feel the pain starting to well up. He groaned and groaned but couldn't get his voice to work the way he wanted it to do, he forced his head to the side to try to see who was on duty but his vision was blurred. He could faintly make out a form next to him that seemed to be reading something and he tried to get the attention of whoever it was. He wasn't seeming to get their attention so he tried groaning louder, when the person didn't move he wondered if he'd suddenly became mute, the idea plain scared him into a loud screech.

"Charles! Are you alright?!" a voice was heard over top him.

"Quick! Get that morphine! Quick, he's coming around now!" another voice, he was sure it sounded like Hunnicutt's voice but he couldn't trust his own mind at this point. A few more moments and it was like a sudden calming wave passed over him and he slouched into his pillows, breathing easier and his heart slowing down.

"Major?" he heard Max's voice next to him, Charles tried to turn his head towards the voice, he was sure he had but he couldn't exactly feel himself moving. "How are you feeling Major?" Max asked, Charles knew that someone must have been around that didn't know about their relationship, otherwise he would have called him Charles. Charles grunted a sleepy reply.

"Charles, are you feeling alright?" the other voice asked him, Charles turned his head back to the voice above him, he was starting to see shapes again, the light was particularly blinding so he squinted at it. "There you are," the voice said fondly, Charles vision came back in a snap and he suddenly felt awake again. He blinked a few times and looked up at BJ who was smiling over him. "How do you feel?"

"Um," he started, wetting his mouth, "I uh—I feel…okay I think," he was able to get out. He raised his hand to rub at his forehead. "Pain has subsided…I think…" he squinted up at BJ.

"Good, good, you were in some pretty rough shape earlier," BJ said but his face immediately fell after he said it, knowing that Charles wouldn't have been hurt if it hadn't been for him. "Charles, I'm sorry for what happened yesterday I—I have no reason to have acted that way other than my jealousy. I hope in time that you can forgive me though I know you have no reason to accept it right away. If you need me, I'll be at the desk, alright?" BJ told him sincerely, Charles nodded and BJ patted his leg below the wound and got up to leave them. Charles watched him leave, wondering if he could forgive his coworker.

"Charles?" Max asked again, Charles looked to the side again to see Max siting up on his elbow, looking over like a concerned mother hen. "Hey," Max grinned.

"Hey," Charles whispered back.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes…I believe I am, the pain is only skin deep," Charles answered but Max scoffed at him.

"You and I both know that isn't true mister I-hold-grudges-for-a-life-time," he rolled his eyes, Charles grunted back at him.

"Max, please," Charles said, annoyed with the answer he'd gotten. Max just shrugged at him and sighed as he laid back in his bed.

"I can't wait until I can walk around again," Max said before Charles drifted back off into sleep.

Two days later, Max was already ready to do walking, he'd completed the physical therapy by Hawkeye, though it wasn't like he needed it much, it was more like his muscles just needed a reminder of what to do. Max was excited to be back in his army Greens and out of the patients pajamas since that meant he was back in business, though he felt bad for his partner who had to go to Tokyo to recuperate for another two weeks but for now Charles was stuck in his bed for a few more days.

"Boy! This sure is exciting! I've missed these stupid army boots so much that my feet are actually—" Max was smiling but when he looked down at the boots, he stopped everything to stare. Charles looked up at the cease talking to observe his partner.

"Is everything alright Max?" he asked. Max glanced up to his lover, his mouth had gone dry when he tried to tell what was wrong. "Maxwell," Charles warned.

"I um…I…I don't remember exactly…what to do at…this point…" Max admitted as he glanced to Charles shyly.

"You've forgotten how to tie your shoe?" Charles asked, he attempted to be gentle with it knowing full well that Max's comatose affected his memory.

"I—I don't even know…what am I doing?!" Max suddenly became angry, he took off the shoe and threw it to the ground with a loud thwap which made Charles jump.

"Max—Max, please calm yourself, there is no shame in forgetting—"

"You don't understand Charles!" Max growled at him, taking his other boot off to do the same thing, tears streaming down his face with anger. "What—what am I doing?" Max suddenly lost his anger and immediately became depressed at himself.

"Max, no, it's alright love!" Charles did what he shouldn't have done and got up from his bed to hop to Max's again to sit beside him and pull him in to hold him, Max cried in earnest on Charles's shoulder.

"Why can't I remember? What's happening to me?" he asked, Charles snuck a small kiss to Max's forehead before he answered.

"Max, please listen carefully to me," he started, Max stayed quiet besides the tears, "because of your coma…you may…forget some things for day to day life. But do not fear my love, after a few days you will remember everything but you must take it slow and keep calm. I will be with you every step of the way," Charles told him quietly; the tears were starting to subside. Charles kept his good arm around Max, comforting him as Max leaned against him heavily.

"Hey, what's going on?" Hawkeye came around, smiling at them until he saw Max's tears. Charles was going to give the story but Max started to shake his head.

"No—nothing, I swear I'm alright!" Max defended himself, Charles realized he was embarrassed about what happened.

"Max, you want to remember, don't you?" he asked gently and quietly so Hawkeye could barely hear as well, Max nodded, "then you have to trust Pierce, he can help you too just as much I can," he kissed the Lebanese forehead again and waited for Max, the Corporal stayed quiet for a little while, deciding his answer before he nodded, giving Charles permission. Charles looked up to Pierce who was quietly observing with a worried look. "Comatose has affected his memory slightly; he's forgotten how to tie his shoes just now and became angered over it."

"Oh…is that all? Klinger, I forget how to do this daily!" Hawkeye smiled gently; kneeling down to pick the shoes up and return them to the feet of their owner while the other two watched from above.

"Really?" Max asked.

"Absolutely, especially after he's had a long night binging on alcohol…" Charles mumbled but Max was smiling anyway.

"Gee, that really makes me feel better, so it's normal to forget things after an accident like ours?" Max asked them as he watched Hawkeye lace up the shoe slowly so he could re-learn how to tie his own shoe.

"Definitely, but as Charles said, you don't have anything to worry about. If you think you don't remember how to do something you just let one of us know and we'll help you out Klinger, is that alright?" Hawkeye asked him, finishing the shoe.

"Thanks guys, I really don't know where I'd be without you two," Max grinned but it was Charles's turn to depress himself. He knew exactly where Max would be without him; safe and sound and without gone through comatose since Charles had gotten them lost in the first place. He felt sick to his stomach and he hadn't even eaten lunch yet.

"Here, you try this one," Hawkeye motioned for him to tie it, Max let go of Charles and lifted the foot to the bed so he could reach it and took the laces but looked to Hawkeye for guidance. "Pull these tight first," Hawkeye pointed to the part already laced at his foot, so Max grabbed two strings and pulled on them and worked his way up per Hawkeye's instructions. While Max was starting to remember how to tie his shoe, Hawkeye glanced to Charles to see the surgeon looking far off deep in thought, his facial expression noted that it wasn't a good thought. "You okay Charles?" Hawkeye asked, returning his attention to Max who was giggling at himself as he laced his shoe up with Hawkeye's help and started to tie a knot; that part he remembered.

"I—uh, yes, yes I'm fine," Charles tore himself from his depressed thoughts and gently lifted himself from the bed and hopped back to his around Hawkeye and sat back at his pillows.

"Ah-ha," Hawkeye said with a frown, he had an inkling of what Charles might have been thinking about. "Alright Klinger, you're all set, if you want to dodge more death you can try venturing to the mess tent," Hawkeye returned his smile to his friend.

"Ha! You're funny Captain but yeah, I am hungry. I'll be right back, okay? Charles, do you want anything?" he asked, looking over to his partner apparently missing the depressed look Charles had.

"No—no, I'm fine," Charles shook his head again and attempted a smile for his lover as Klinger gave a nonchalant salute and left out to the mess tent. Hawkeye stood and sat on Max's bed looking at Charles. "Please, don't say it," Charles looked over to him, misted eyes.

"Charles, it's not your fault this happen," Hawkeye said it anyway; Charles groaned and leaned his head back against the wall behind him as he shook it.

"We'd be celebrating right now if I hadn't botched the directions. It was I who attempted the shortcut, not Maxwell; he wanted to stay on the path of the map!" Charles told him, closing his eyes. Hawkeye sighed and ran his hand through his hair in attempt to think of something to cheer Charles up but that was difficult.

"Look, we all make mistakes, be happy you're both alive at least."

"I am! How could I not be? But we wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place if I'd not insisted on the shortcut! I risked our lives unknowingly and I've most definitely ruined both our careers!" Charles blew up at him, motioning to his broken hand in its sling and referring to Max's new found limiting capacity of forgetting normal daily activities.

"Charles, you and I both know that you two are better than this and it's just a bump in the road—"

"Please…do not use such euphemisms…"

"—it's just a hiccup in life, you'll both get over it and move on. For now, there's no point in wallowing in self-pity when Klinger needs you most—"

"And what can I do? Hobble around after him in pain?!" Charles growled, Hawkeye rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't have to be physical Charles and you know that. Get off your high horse and open your damn eyes!" Hawkeye yelled back at him and got up to leave from post-op to find Max. Charles grumbled to himself and sat back in his bed trying to calm his nerves, he didn't mind Pierce usually but there was no point to his career now and he knew that; his hand would never be the same after this no matter how many corrective procedures he had done to it.

 

It was a long two weeks for Charles in Tokyo and even longer for Max who had to stay back at the 4077th unit. There were times he'd still forget how to do things but he was getting better at figuring them out or attempting to until he remembered again, he was proud of his progress and couldn't wait for his lover to come home so they could finally resume their relationship. Max had been informed about Charles's feelings about the whole accident by Hawkeye after gaining permission from Charles, it made him sad to think about it but he knew that it was as much his fault as it had been Charles and he knew that neither one of them should dwell on stupid things of the past and try to continue to go forward instead. It seemed like such a long time until Charles finally came back, Max was supposed to meet him when the jeep came in but it ended up being in the middle of a large batch of wounded.

"Charles!" Max squeaked when he saw his Major walking smoothly into Pre-Op, Charles's look softened when he saw his Corporal and displayed a small smile. Max wanted so badly to jump him and just kiss him right there but he knew the looks they'd get. "You're back!" Max had to restrain himself, he was actually prideful in the way he was able to restrain himself.

"Seems as though, just in the nick of time, eh?" he answered, grinning wider now.

"Ah! Major Winchester! Boy it sure is good to see that arm out of it's sling. Come on, we've got some test runs for you to work on while you get your strength back," Colonel Potter interrupted the two of them.

"Certainly, I'm always fit for duty!" Charles nodded to him, taking off his Class A jacket, giving it to Klinger along with his hat. Max grumbled something about being Charles's bus boy but Charles just nodded to him and said "Klinger," and whisked off to go scrub up. Max sighed and walked out into the cold air, winter was almost upon them at this point and he was not looking forward to it. He spotted the Major's bags and picked them up as well to bring into the Swamp. Once inside the swamp and alone and with everything down on the floor, he pushed his face into the coat, breathing in Charles's expensive scent. He snuggled the jacket to him and kept breathing in the scent, he was glad for his overly large nose at this point; he could take in more of Charles's lovely scent. Before he set it down on the chair corner, he rubbed his face in it like a cat would do a smiled at himself, both ashamed and giddy. He was so glad Charles was finally home and seemingly doing just fine. Before rushing back to OR, Max gave one more whiff of the jacket as he placed it down.

"What were you doing, smelling the daisy's Corporal?" Potter barked at him.

"Something like that sir," he shrugged and glanced to Charles sidelong, Charles himself was smiling under his mask knowing what Max had most likely been doing. Max happily took the finished patient from Hawkeye to put him into post-op.

It was a long five hours later and three in the morning but they finally finished up the wounded and had everyone bedded down. Max had been so busy helping out with the wounded that he almost forgot his Major was home again! He ran around to find his Major while trying to keep it inconspicuous. After going through post-op, he found BJ and asked where Charles was but BJ didn't know. So he continued through OR and pre-op and then he found Hawkeye in his office and asked him.

"I'm not sure but I think I saw the oaf hobbling towards the Swamp. Why don't you…give him a little welcome home?" Hawkeye wiggled his eyebrows, Max tried to refrain his teenage girl blush as he scoffed at the Captain.

"I just want to make sure he's alright," he replied as he left, he tried not to run to the Swamp but rather swiftly walked with purpose as if he had business there. He knocked before he entered to find his Major in seeming pain.

"Max!" Charles exclaimed as he sat down on his bed roughly, walking cane still in hand and without pants but in his shorts and tee shirt.

"Charles, are you alright?" Max lost his smile when he saw the pain in Charles's face. Charles nodded exuberantly but the redness from his face wouldn't leave as he threw the cane to the side and groaned. "Clearly you aren't alright, can I get you anything?" Max sat down besides him gently but Charles shook his head.

"Never worry Max, I will be just fine…once this blasted pain dissipates!" he groaned and rubbed at the scar on his white leg.

"Can't we get some morphine or something to help?" Max asked, feeling helpless.

"No, no, I'll be fine," Charles held his left hand to his chest, it must have been sore from surgery. Max sighed heavily and put on his best pout but Charles wasn't looking but instead attempting to massage out his wrist. Max ditched the pout and gently placed his hand over Charles's left hand, Charles stopped his massaging and looked to his counterpart with a questioned expression.

"May I?" Max asked, Charles already letting his hand be led towards Max, "Hawkeye taught me how to rub out soreness after surgery, it might help you," he explained as he gently started to rub out the muscles in the wrist and forearm. Charles closed his eyes at the gentle fingers of his Lebanese. "Is this alright? It's not too much right?" he asked, making sure that Charles wasn't in pain from his feeble attempt to make himself useful.

"No," he whispered, opening his eyes with a relieved look, "no, it is good," he sighed. Max smiled and bent down to gently kiss Charles's hand in triplicate, he glanced towards Charles who was looking down at him.

"You know," Max started, continuing his gentle massage to Charles's forearm. "I really missed you," he confessed, Charles gave a small smile. Charles beckoned Max closer and thus Max obliged. Charles wrapped his arm around Max's smaller shoulders to draw him nearer and cupped his jaw in for a kiss. Max wrapped his arms around Charles and pulled him in deeper, tilting his head to press their lips together as they moved in time with each other; kissing and sucking on each other. Tongues started to dance between mouths in hot breaths and quiet moans. Max didn't waste any time, he got up and straddled Charles's lap all without breaking contact for more than a second. Charles sighed in the kiss as Max tilted his head further once he was settled on Charles's lap. Charles sat his hands at Max's hips and Max's arms were around Charles's shoulders as they made out with a renewed passion. 

"Mm, Max—Max, wait," Charles stopped him and Max jumped back afraid he'd hurt him. He remained on Charles's lap though, just trying to get away from the trouble areas.

"Are you okay? Oh I'm really sorry Charles, did I hit something or—"

"Max—Max, please!" Charles pressed his finger to Max's mouth to quiet him with a smile. "I'm fine, but, I've had two weeks of intensive therapy and I am extraordinarily tired. I'd like to fall asleep before the war starts up once more," he explained.

"Oh…I understand," Max nodded, he didn't want to leave Charles just yet. Charles could read the disappointment in his partners face and gave one of those small smiles he saved for Max.

"Though…" he started and Max looked up at him, "perhaps we could take sleep over at the supply closet?" he offered, moving forward to peck at Max's lips.

"Yeah…I could go for that," he nodded with a smirk.

The pair made plans to meet over at the supply hut in a few minutes. When they were both there, Max kissed his partner happily before they laid against the block of blankets with one of them over top. Max cuddled up against the side of his partner, happily snuggled against the plush robe of Charles. Charles was almost in an upright position but he was still reclined a bit with Max at his side, one arm thrown across Charles's chest and one leg cautiously placed between Charles's own who were slightly pulled up.

"I really missed you when you were gone," Max repeated, stroking at the fluffy lapel of Charles's robe.

"I know," Charles stated simply, quieter than he normally would as he was practically asleep already. Charles kept an arm around Max, hand at his neck playing with the small tendrils of hair. "I love you; I really do mean it Max. I've never loved quite the same as for you," Charles spoke again. Max grinned and moved up closer to nuzzle and kiss at Charles's neck.

"That really means a lot to me Charles," Max whispered back, he rubbed his cheek in the plush of the robe, he felt like a cat but the stimulation of the plush against the slight stubble on his face made his body tingle, making his heart melt that he had someone who really cared for him.

The pair quickly fell asleep in each other's arm, in the dim light of the supply room. Charles slept soundly for quite a few hours; they were more peaceful hours than any he spent in Tokyo. Though he loved Tokyo, it just wasn't the same without Max, and for that he hated it but at the same time, loved it. He was sure he was smiling in his sleep. Unfortunately, he was woken in the night when Max jumped and woke up with a yelp and whining.

"Max!" Charles woke up and quickly found Max sitting up on his knees, still straddling one of Charles's legs. Max had tears streaming and was close to hyperventilating as he looked around the room, clearly confused. "Max, Max, come here," Charles pulled himself up into a sitting position and then tried to tug his lover to him. Max looked at him, mouth slightly agape as he tried to wake up from his nightmare.

"I—I…I'm sorry," he started to mumble as he followed Charles's direction. Charles pulled him closer so Max was fully straddling his lap, Charles pulled his knees up to make a cradle for him as he wrapped his arms around Max to pull him in closer. Max went willingly and wrapped his arms around Charles as he settled back into the hold to cease his crying.

"It was just a dream Max, a figment of your imagination. I'm here for you," Charles murmured back, rubbing at Max's back and hair. Max really let himself settle into the hold and melt at Charles's touch.

"Yeah…yeah…" he whispered; face smooshed into the crook of Charles's neck. Charles continued to pet him until he physically felt Max fall back asleep, it didn't take long either. Charles let his own head rest against Max's for a few moments, turning once to kiss Max's cheek before resting his head back to fall asleep, feeling complete again. 

 

Charles had regained his strength through therapy and Max continued to expand his memory, there were still occasionally things that he’d forget and the three doctors always helped him along to which he was grateful for.


End file.
